


The Farm: The Night is Far Spent

by B_Radley



Series: The Laughing Beskad [14]
Category: Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Connected Lives, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Love, Memory, Remembrance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 02:34:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10732359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Radley/pseuds/B_Radley
Summary: A wife and mother, a lover and a warrior are remembered by her husband and her inspiration.





	The Farm: The Night is Far Spent

Ahsoka Tano dozes lightly against the solid armored back of the hunter behind her. She feels him shift gently as the night sky begins to ease with first light. She can feel his alertness through the tiny thread of the mystical connection that he intermittently shares with her. The one that he had injured giving some of the energy to her when she had needed it to recover from a grievous knife wound. 

She is immediately warmed by the stronger connection as he senses her come awake more. She senses his smile in ways other than through the Force. She can feel the muscles along his jawline shift slightly against her center lek, where he has turned slightly as she comes alert. Her preternatural senses; the senses of a huntress, can hear the slight increase in his heart rate.

As well as her own. 

Finally, something more primal detects the smile. A warmth at her center rises as her thoughts turn to him. She is fairly certain that blood might be rushing somewhere else on him, as well, as they have been sitting on this desolate world for two days, in the same position, except for taking care of certain functions.

Not the ones that their cores cried out for.

She sighs. They had been sitting here watching each sector, waiting for an Imperial fuel ship to land at the small Imperial communications and data post. A fuel ship with a big enough payload that they could use it to destroy the post and a vital communications link in this sector without endangering anyone else.

She would have done it by herself, but the fact that they had been working well together in tandem over several missions, had led her to believe they could do this.

Those blood rushes not withstanding.

"Good morning, Runt," he says softly. The fact that the security forces assigned to this outpost did not seem to be energetic enough to patrol the area had allowed them to talk quietly for short periods of time.

"Hey, Bait," she replies in her own soft, but still bright voice. "Wish this damned tanker would get here. My ass is cramping and I have some itches that need scratching." Her voice goes into a slightly lower pitch, as well as taking on a huskier quality.

"Would scratching one of those itches involve taking care of one of mine? The fact that my armor was very uncomfortable this morning when I woke up and relieved you?"

"Just might, Bait," she says. He feels a hand snake around his middle and rest on the afflicted portion. She feels him hold his breath until she moves her hand away. "Yep. Can see how that might smart a little bit," she says. 

"Thanks for making it worse." 

"I am sure, Tempest, that we could turn around and face each other, and still watch the other's sector, while ah, handling certain issues."

"Except, Fulcrum, one of us gets a bit loud during the handling."

"Don't know what you're talking about. I can actually send my noises into a higher pitch where they can't be heard by most."

"Yeah, except for the herd of rancors that you attracted on Dantooine. That made for some fun times." 

He feels her elbow dig into his side between plates.

He also feels her rear lek move against his back as she turns around. He feels her lips touch his neck.

"Don't know how much more waiting we should be doing for this thing. I do have a few other things to do," Ahsoka says. 

"I know, Ahsoka. But I have enjoyed just sitting here with you. Just talking and listening to you. We haven't gotten to do this much, lately. We're either seizing a few hours of touching the light, or fighting on a mission, or arguing in meetings with some of those new assholes they have."

It is his turn to feel her smile. A smile that he can feel is tinged with sadness. "I know. Wish we could find time to go back to Takodana."

"Yeah, I know. Or Shili. The month we spent there and the week with Maz, are among the best days of my life," he says.

"Mine, too, Jame," she says. His birth name comes almost naturally to her lips when they are alone. 

They are silent. Ahsoka pulls out a ration pack, pulls the tab and hands it to him. "Thanks for cooking, Runt," he smirks. "Anytime, Bait," she says. "Figured since I couldn't get the actual chef to do the cooking, I'd have to step up."

"Well, I can cook for you, but I would probably wind up cooking for those lazy-ass fleeties down there, as well," he replies.

They eat in silence, just drinking each other in, as well as keeping a weather eye for those same lazy-ass Imperials. "Hey, Bait. We have some time, it looks like. I am only going to give this another few hours before I call it. We'll have to come back with more to destroy the damned thing."

"Looks like Phygus's info might have been bogus," he says. "Had to happen some time. Although," she says darkly, "if I find out that he was either trying to hack into your comm to get those holos of me, or playing some damn game with Ano, I may drop his teensy ass off of one of these hills."

He laughs softly. "Don't worry. They're safe, _cyar'ika."_

He can almost hear her sharp canine worrying her lip. He tries not to think of those lips.

"Hey, Bait?" she says. He can hear a querulous tone to her voice. "Yeah?" he replies. "Tell me about J'ohlana. I mean, I have glimpsed her in those Force dreams or whatever they are that helped me find you, as well as Shak, but what was she like?"

"What brought this on, Ahsoka?" he asks quietly. "I've heard you call her name in your sleep," she says. She feels him start. "Sorry, Runt," is all that he says.

"Don't be, Jame. I don't begrudge your heart, babe," she adds. 

He is silent. For a moment, Ahsoka feels like she may have overstepped. She feels him take a deep breath and release it. She is about to tell him to forget it, when he speaks. "She was everything. Beautiful, funny, smart, powerful. A helluva fighter." He closes his eyes. "Not too much different than my hunt-sister," he says, a hint of shyness in his voice.

He reaches into his bucket and pulls out a wrinkled holo print and hands it back to her. A picture of a beautiful, dark-haired, dark eyed warrior in black _beskar'gam_ , her eyes laughing at the camera. A nose delightful in its crookedness. Two fingers upraised in an ancient gesture. Another holo is stuck to the back. A photograph of both of them. He in shabby, but clean spacer's clothes, his collar closed and his hair combed.

She in a white gown that only covered front and back; bound by a wide black silk sash for a tiny bit of modesty. Bright orange flowers in her hair and in her hands. Once again, laughing at him.

"She is beautiful." She grins. "What happened to her nose?" He laughs. "Don't know originally." He looks sheepish. "I contributed to some of it. I misjudged a head-butt in a spar," he says ruefully. Her quiet laughter is bright. Her eyes grow serious. "She seems to always be laughing."

"Yeah," he says. "She had that effect on me and others." He smirks. "She was tough as the day was long. Not only did she carry our boy on several missions, she carried either Gregor or I when we got hit."

"You named your boy, Shak? For Master Ti?" she asks gently. She can feel the pain flowing. On at least three fronts.

She feels his grin as well. "Yeah. His full name was Sha'ak-ri, which is a male version of Master Ti's given name. Around the eighth month, she shortened it to Shak, because she said that was what she felt like she was carrying. A large farm animal."

She can feel his eyes close. She reaches around to touch his cheek; feels the tears. "I wish that I had known her. I would've shared your heart with her, as well," she says, recalling something that Jo's spirit-self had told her in a vision while looking for Jame.

Without a word, Jame Blackthorn turns to her. "I think that I can tell you this, now, Ahsoka," he says. "You did know her, in a way. She was on Carlacc with you and Bonteri." He sees her eyes widen as she remembers. He places his gloved hand on her cheek. "She was a member of Death Watch. Of the Nite Owls." Ahsoka starts with recognition. A bit of anger starts to grow. "Shh, _cyare,_ It is not like that. You opened her eyes to a new life. The murder of the young girl triggered it. It showed her what Vizla and the rest of Death Watch was."

"She also said that you amazed her. When you decapitated those four assholes. She holstered her Westar and turned away. She found a way off of the world and never looked back."

Ahsoka's own eyes tear. "She said that you saved her," he says. "That you showed her what true courage and the ability to stand up for something greater meant."

He kisses her gently. As he breaks free, she touches the _beskar_ ring on his repaired finger. She starts as she realizes that it is on the correct finger. For the first time since it was reattached. She raises it to her lips and kisses it. Her lips linger. She lowers it and looks into his green eyes at the gold flecks. 

He looks away. "She said that her ledger needed clearing; that she had to make up for the deaths that occurred while she was in the Nite Owls and Death Watch." Tears are spilling down his cheeks openly, now. "She spent the rest of her life trying to atone for something that she was only a part of. She pushed me into rescuing clones and slaves. Pushed me when I only wanted to find a hole somewhere, mourn my dead, and raise little Mandos with her." His face crumples as he fights for composure. "Including, eventually, I hoped, a daughter who would wonder when she was old enough why she bore the name of a powerful young huntress. My hunt-sister."

Ahsoka chokes back her own sob. "She saved me, just as you saved her, Ahsoka," he says. 

"I know this may hurt, but how did she die? I never heard the full story as Fulcrum. I knew something happened.

He pauses as if gathering his strength. "We were set up. We got to our RMSU that we were using to take chips out. An Imperial commando unit was already there."

She listens intently, her eyes on him as he speaks. "She talked me into splitting up. To hit them from both sides."

"Alpha-17 was the leader of the commandos." Her eyes start in recognition. A vision; a memory really. Of staring down an insubordinate Captain. An Alpha. She shakes her head at the memory. "All of them were from my commandos. The survivors from the War, plus regulars. I think that they were already dead when I got there." The plurality of the pronoun is not lost on his hunt-sister. "Alpha made sure when I got there, that I saw him fire that bolt into her."

"What happened, _Baa'je?_ " 

"I killed them. They fired on me and I deflected the bolts. I sliced a few of the bucketheads. I don't remember anything much after that. Apparently Gregor killed Alpha."

She doesn't smile as she thinks of a report from an operative known as Balor.

"I killed my brothers," he whispers. She seizes his hands. "No. Don't, Blackthorn. Don't even think it. I killed some of mine on Mandalore. Neither one of us bears responsibility. Only Palpatine and his fucking longnecks bear that responsibility." She brings his hands to her lips. Then, her lips move to his. Their tongues meet and caress each other. As they come up for air, he looks down. "The irony is that this would be our last job before Shak was born," he whispers. "That we were going to lay low because we felt that we were cheating fate." His tears fall freely and mix with hers. 

She pulls him into her arms and rocks him gently as they both regain their composure. She pulls her comm out. She pulls it to her lips. "Hey, Dowager. You up?"

A bright voice filled with love and laughter immediately answers. "Yeah, sweet-cheeks. What do you need?" Daaineran Faygan says. "This is a bust on the tanker. I'm calling it. We'll figure out another way. We're starting for the rendezvous point now. You know how to come in through the sensor void."

"Sure you just don't want me to scream in and blow shit up?" 

"Nahh. You still have a bit of mystery about you. A big green-striped _Consular_ hitting this place might get on the sensors too much. Might let you and Bait come with me in an A-wing or three."

"Sounds like fun, love. See you in a few. The bed is ready. Been kind of lonely up here with just the droids and Murta and Phygus here. Scintillating conversation. Phygus was almost starting to look appealing," she says with a grin.

"I really don't want to know," Fulcrum says. She clicks off and looks at Covenant. "Guess it is back to Tempest or Bryne, _ie'ar_." Her blue eyes bore into him. "Does Jo lie anywhere?" she asks gently, her hand reaching up to his warm cheek.

"On Saleucami," he says simply.

"Then that is where we will go." He nods and stands up, holding his hand out. He pulls her up and into his arms.

~+~+~+~+~+

A man known by a variety of names looks at the small stone. A stone marked simply with three interlocked symbols. Symbols of both his and her worlds and families. He feels the bright blue and orange presence walking up the hill, along with a warmer, laughing presence. Both presences make his heart leap. He stands and turns.

Ahsoka Tano and Dani Faygan make their way up the path. They walk arm-in-arm. They both bear bouquets of the bright orange flowers of this world. Flowers that had decorated a bride's hair on a clear day over three years ago.

He smiles at both of them, as the three of them live. As they think of the effects that those who pass through have on their lives.

The night is far spent, but the day is at hand.

**Author's Note:**

> The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Farm: In the Space from Eve 'til Morn](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10752717) by [B_Radley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Radley/pseuds/B_Radley)




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